Blair Peach’s brother speaks out

An apology over Blair Peach’s death at a 1979 demonstration in London would be of “no consequence” unless police unreservedly acknowledged he was killed by an officer, his brother says. Previously secret police reports have revealed that the 33-year-old New Zealander was almost certainly killed by a police officer.

Metropolitan police had resisted releasing the documents for decades, but made them available on their website yesterday, saying there would be no further investigation into Mr Peach’s death.

The teacher and peace campaigner died from a blow to the head while marching against the National Front movement in Southall, west London. His partner, Celia Stubbs, and members of his family in New Zealand have campaigned for the release of the police inquiries into his death for nearly 30 years.

The report said it could “reasonably be concluded that a police officer struck the fatal blow”. Mr Peach was almost certainly killed by an officer from an elite riot squad known as the Special Patrol Group (SPG), the report found.